“If you are winning games, everything is much easier, the food tastes better, you sleep better, everything,” Dragic said Monday following shootaround. “Of course, when you’re winning you get more recognition. We need to make steps forward. Tonight’s game (against the Cavaliers) is going to be a big challenge for us.”

“It’s a great lesson for all of our guys especially our young guys and what we’re trying to accomplish,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Good things happen when you win. Goran is never thinking about his individual accomplishments, he’s just trying to do whatever it takes to make this team win.”

This is just the third time the 10-year veteran has captured the award, and first since joining the Heat in February of 2015.

“It’s great to be recognized, to put a lot of hard work in,” he said. “Like I tweeted last night, we have a lot of work to do, this is just the beginning. As long as we are winning games I don’t care about nothing.”

Honored to be the Eastern Conference Player of the Week. Couldn’t have won it without my teammates & coaches. But we still have work to do! https://t.co/bjsXG31YUQ

Miami is 10-9 entering the Cavs game, just the second time its been above .500 all season.

“We are on the same page,” Dragic said about the recent improvement. “We’re playing with a lot more energy than some games previously like that game against Indiana. When you’re playing with a lot of energy and aggressiveness then only good things happen for us. We’re shooting the ball well. Hopefully we’ll continue to attack and to get to those open shots.”